How to get the best deals when buying tires?

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wn1998

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The nissan needs new tires as the current tires have 3/32 of tread left. I am looking at either the General Altimax HP or the Cooper CS4 as my primary need for a tire is something that will do well in a Chicago Winter. (Snow tires are not in the budget at this time).

My questions are do you typically buy the road hazzard plan? Is it worth the extra $50-$60?

My next question is how do you get the best deal?

I just got a quote online at discount tire for the general Altimax for $531.09 out the door with the tire certificates....that seems very high to me (tires were $81/each).

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
 
Just went and got a quote on some $160 tires, and with mount, tpms, etc, they wanted $806

Of course they had added protection warranty for their profit, but we self-insure.
 
Tires for which and in what size?
It will sometimes pay you to buy tires online with a good discount and MIR and store them if you know you'll need them in a year or two.
The online sellers usually also have some deals on closeout tires.
The best way to buy decent tires cheaply is to check the online sellers on a periodic basis for deals on tires you'd like to have on your car.
 
Check online price from Tire Rack, include shipping and usually no tax. Also check Treadepot, include shipping. I think Wally may also now carry the true Altimax HP so also get a price from them. Don't think Discount Tire Direct carries the Altimax HP, so you can't shop that price.

Then add ~$60-75 for install and LT balance, rotation, valve stems road hazard etc., that's about what a Wally install would be with those services.

Imo, forget the certs, the DT road hazard included in install services will cover most punctures. Take your total price to the DT store, talk to manager, and get the price match. That's how I've always done it. Every so often DT/DTD also has $100 off Visa rebate on a set of 4 tires, Black Friday will likely be next. Also if you buy with the DT Care One card, you'll normally get another $30 off plus 6 months no interest payments.
 
I get CS4s 185/60/15 mounted for $92 + tax; I can't see paying more than $450 for a set. BTW, there is a $50 rebate for buying (4) CS4s until 6-nov.
 
Good brands at good prices at Sam's club. The house model Goodrich tires they sell are almost all Michelin now.
 
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I just checked the walmart site and they have the General HP's for $77/each and if I read their site correctly, they mount and balance the tires for free (including TPMS) if you buy from them? Does anyone know if this is true?
 
Go to onlinetires.com and find your tires, then have discount match them through there site. Helped save me some cash and i didnt have to pay for shipping.
 
Goodyear Assurance Comfortred Touring

Currently the tires have a $60 instant off a set of 4. Additionally there is a rebate for $80 off a set of 4 as well. IF you apply for a Goodyear card (and get approved and use it to pay for the purchase), you will double that rebate to $160.

Price Installed : $488.56 + Tax
Less Rebate w/ GYCC : $160.00

OTD Price : $328.56 + Tax Approx for 4 premium brand 80,000 mile warranty american made all season tires. GYCC also offers 6 mnths no interest if that helps you decide anything.
 
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Recently bought the Cooper CS4's T-rated tires for the Focus (195/60/15), replacing Altimax HP's. Bought the tires from Discount Tire Direct. Unbelieveable price especially w/ a $100 MIR and the Cooper $50 rebate. $60 for install/balance @ Sears. (took the old set w/me.) I'm very impresssed by the CS4's. Very smooth riding and QUIET. Balanced w/very little weights. The HP's may handle better in dry conditions but I believe the Cooper's will be a better winter tire. Also, the Cooper's have 2 sidewall polyester plies whereas the HP's have 1 in the tire size listed above.) I believe the CS4's is a better tire. The General's are a very good tire as well. Watch for sales and MIR's. I've been very pleased w/my purchases from DTD.
 
Road hazard may be worth it if you can get it for around $40 or < 10% of the tire price. If you ever get a tire that's mysteriously losing air due to a foreign object, valve stem, or rim leak you should be covered. It's a little known benefit. Also helps keep down the finger pointing if you have a problem that could be a manufacturer defect, maybe.

Some places especially warehouse clubs include it in their OTD price.

Get specs on your tires; you can often go to a treadwear of 650 over 420 for only a couple bucks a tire! The tires they keep in stock and push are naturally the faster wearing ones. I like Yoko Avid Tourings but there are many good choices in a 65 sidewall.
 
Originally Posted By: DreamerGT
Go to onlinetires.com and find your tires, then have discount match them through there site.


I just buy from onlinetires.com. Why would I not buy from the guys advertising the low price? Seems like you should want to do business with the honest folks, not the ones trying to take your money.

robert
 
I find an online tire seller and get the price including shipping (usually Tirerack). I take that to my local Discount Tire and they match it. I will pay extra for mounting/balancing, tax, etc. of course. I'd rather buy from them locally than order online in case there are any issues with the tires. I've bought online before, but I haven't for quite some time. I like my local DT and I find them convenient and they always price match so the price is always good. Sometimes their qouted price is close to the online places, sometimes on specialty tires it can be significantly more and the price matching saves a ton of money. I never get the road hazzard, I don't know that I've ever had to replace a tire due to road damage and I've been buying tires for almost 20 years and I drive more per year than the average person.

Originally Posted By: robertcope
Originally Posted By: DreamerGT
Go to onlinetires.com and find your tires, then have discount match them through there site.


I just buy from onlinetires.com. Why would I not buy from the guys advertising the low price? Seems like you should want to do business with the honest folks, not the ones trying to take your money.

robert


Because I prefer to buy from people that can actually mount my tires on my rims. It makes them responsible for the entire package and makes it easier to resolve an issue if it comes up (never has however).
 
Originally Posted By: DreamerGT
Go to onlinetires.com and find your tires, then have discount match them through there site. Helped save me some cash and i didnt have to pay for shipping.
I did exactly that, but Discount only matched the delivered price which included the shipping--and that seemed fair. Even cheaper would be buy the on line tires and look for a local shop that can mount them cheaper than Discount...maybe Walmart.

I never buy the road hazard warranty. In 50 years of driving I've had exactly two tire failures---one bad bead wire in a Continental and a sharp rock puncture in a Blizzak.
 
In our area DTD gives us a special code for the local tire store that gets us a tremendous deal on mounting, balancing, and new metal valve stems for our fleet trucks.
 
onlinetires.com has a warehouse in Cerritos, CA which is very much local to Orange County, and it has free local pickup. Local DT/AT matchs the price without shipping cost.

The advantage of buying/installing a set of tires at a local store is warranty, it's easier to deal with one store where you buy and install at the same time.
 
DTD rep would not price match one of the DT centers. He even said he wouldn't complete against his own company. I asked for a supervisor who was very nice. He asked me to send him the link to his email. He called me back a few mins later and honored it. I was going to give up since the call center rep was so adamant about not helping. This was the weekend of the $100 rebate card. I saved $25 per tire with the price match. A week or two later I received an email with a survey. I gave the manager perfect 10's and mentioned him by name in the comments section.
 
Buy them off-season.

No one is going to buy a Z rated performance tire in the middle of a blizzard.

No one is going to buy a set of studded snow tires in the middle of August (well, I did and got a good deal)
 
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